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A sub-committee constituted to examine issues relating to the online sale of drug has recommended the creation of a national portal to act as a platform for transacting and monitoring online sale of drugs and evolving a mechanism to register e-pharmacies.
Minister of State for Health Faggan Singh Kulaste, in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today, said that the committee has also recommended exclusion of certain drugs like narcotic drugs and tranquilisers, which are prone to being "abused or misused", from online sale.
"A sub-committee had been constituted by the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) to examine issues relating to online sale of drugs. The sub-committee has submitted its report to the DCC.
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"The sub-committee has recommended creation of a national portal to act as the nodal platform for transacting and monitoring online sale of drugs and necessity of evolving a mechanism to register e-pharmacies," the minister said.
The committee has also recommended geographical restrictions for operation of e-pharmacies and said that existing licencees involved in retail sale of drugs could also register on the national portal for carrying out online sale of drugs.
"Certain categories of drugs viz. The narcotic and psychotropic drugs, tranquilisers, habit forming drugs and Schedule X drugs that are prone to being abused or misused be excluded from sale through e-pharmacies," Kulaste said.
He said that all matters relating to sale of drugs including through online will continue to be regulated in accordance with the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 as amended from time to time.
